Stigma surrounding mental health challenges has kept many of us in need and without help for far too long. There can be shame associated with seeing a therapist and there are so many barriers to mental health treatment to include cost, time, resources, and lack of support and information.
As a therapist myself, when I see someone in my office for the first time (or on a video call for the first time), it’s a very special moment. I know that for many, to get in that office or on that video call is a very big deal due to all the reasons mentioned above. Seeking therapy for the first time, or again and again, can be scary and overwhelming.
The good news? Therapy is becoming cool. When I say cool, I mean acceptable and supported. 1 in 6 Americans have entered therapy for the first time in 2020 alone. In 2019, it was estimated that around 40.2 million adults in the U.S. received mental health treatment or counseling at some time in the previous year and this number continues to rise with time. With the stigma of therapy slowly lessening and the access to care becoming easier, you might begin to hear some of your friends or family members speak openly about going to therapy. You might wonder, is therapy for me? People who go to therapy are not beyond the point of help, in fact, they are seeking some help which is pretty empowering and a sign of strength.
When thinking about when to seek out therapy, here are some questions to ask yourself:
1. Do I feel like myself lately?
2. How long have I not felt my best?
3. How frequently do I feel a little off?
4. How impaired is my functioning in my work performance, home life, or friendships?
5. How abnormal do my symptoms feel lately?
Severity, frequency, duration, personal distress, impairment in functioning, and abnormality of your personal symptoms all play into when to seek treatment for emotional or mental health concerns. Here are some signs and symptoms that you might see within yourself or others:
1. Showing up late or cancelling personal and professional commitments
2. Tired-looking
3. Disheveled clothing
4. No longer enjoying work, activities, or hobbies
5. Sadness
6. Worry
7. Difficulty concentrating or focusing at home, school, or work
8. Indecisiveness
9. Anger or rage
10. Thoughts racing or mind going blank
Mental illness is not a choice. It’s a complex process of environment and your own biology. You deserve to take whatever time you need to attend to your needs. Caring for yourself, perhaps through therapy, is an acknowledgment that you believe you are worthy and deserving of love, care, and health. People are more likely to seek help if someone close to them suggests it. Now you know what those early signs and symptoms might look like.
You might not always feel like your best self, and that is OK and normal. Therapy can help support you by looking at your past and helping you make sense of your upbringing or it can be practical steps to help you improve and grow in the present. Or it can be a million other things. You can always change the narrative you believe and it’s very special to have someone come alongside you in that journey. We are beginning to value mental health and see it as important as other forms of health. This is an exciting time to be alive as mental health has been stigmatized and misunderstood for so long. You are worthy of getting the support you need in a healing relationship such as therapy.
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